


Looks Like Love

by searchingwardrobes



Series: needtobreathe [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Deleted Scenes, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Season 4/Episode 8
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 10:11:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12297018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/searchingwardrobes/pseuds/searchingwardrobes
Summary: What if Killian found Emma first in 4x8, before Henry found her in the woods? Killian, of course, would assure her that he'll always be there for her.This is the second story in a new series that has only two self-imposed rules: each must be a deleted scene and each must be based on a needtobreathe song. Because needtobreathe is amazing and half their songs make me think of this OTP anyway.





	Looks Like Love

_Take another step Don't give up on me just yet We could take a chance We could find a child's romance At least we'd love until we can't_

_I won't run when it looks like love I won't hide beneath the fear Of how my past has come undone_

_I won't run when it looks like love I can't spend another night alone Regretting what I've done So, I won't run_

_The breeze can only be When she overcomes the heat Our hearts can only shake When there's risk that they could break Yeah it's a chance that I will take_

_Raise your head It's time to say Those words that I have left unsaid I've slept through the sunrise And I turned Away every time it got bright_

 

The wind blew across the water, causing the boats to bob up and down where they were moored. Emma didn’t know if it was residual magic of Elsa’s or her own fears, but the breeze and the slight salty spray it carried caused her to shiver until her teeth chattered. She hugged her arms across her chest tightly. She felt as if she were in that ice wall again. Trapped. Magic tingled across her finger tips, and she tightened her fist until the nails dug into her palm.

              “Swan?”

              Emma squeezed her eyes shut tight at the sound of his voice. She shouldn’t have come here. She should have known he would find her here, of all places. Ever since he sauntered into her life, she had found solace here. The smells of saltwater and seaweed combined with the creaking of wood and the slapping of sails in the wind like a balm to her soul, long before she knew (or would admit) that those sensations were associated with a person. Who, as he had once said, read her like an open book.

              “Emma,” he said again, softly, as he neared her.

              “Killian,” she managed to stutter through shaking lips as she turned to face him, “you shouldn’t be here. You have to go.”

She took a few steps back as he reached his hand out for her. A lopsided grin filled his face as if he were greeting her with a casual good morning at Granny’s. “Nonsense, love, you would never hurt me.”

“Yeah, well, Elsa’s sister said the same thing and she ended up an ice sculpture.”

“You’re not Elsa.”

He was inching closer, and she didn’t have the heart to back further away. She simultaneously yearned for the comfort he offered and feared hurting him.

“That pole almost hit you,” Emma argued, and the fear flared up stronger at the memory. She took one step back.

“Well,” Killian joked with a quirk of his brows, “it was meant for your father, so I’ll overlook it.”

“This isn’t funny, Killian!” Emma cried, letting her arms swing free. They sparked with magic, and she quickly hugged her middle again. Tears stung her eyes as Killian came closer. Like a moth transfixed by the flame that can singe it, Emma lacked the willpower to back away from him. “I can’t control my magic! I have no idea what damage I might do! I _told_ you that I can’t lose you, and if it were my fault –“

“Shhh,” Killian soothed. He had reached her now, and his hand and hook rested at her shoulders. He ran both down the length of her arms, then back up again, rubbing the cold away. “You won’t lose me, Emma, I swear. And no matter what you face, I plan on being right here beside you. You can turn me into a toad for all I care. I’m not going anywhere.”

As he spoke, he drew her closer until she gave up and dropped her head to his shoulder. She chuckled at his last joke, and she felt his own lips quirk into a smile against the top of her head. His arms encircled her and pulled her closer. His hand rubbed comforting circles on her back. She sighed and melted into his embrace.

He held her like that for several minutes. The shaking stopped, the sparks stilled, and calm fell over her. His embrace and the sea around them carried her along to a deep, inner peace.

Then she made the mistake of looking up into his eyes. The tenderness she saw in his gaze, the complete faith and understanding, lit her up inside far more than if she had seen desire there. She inched up and forward, pressing her lips to his, and he responded with the fervor and passion they had always shared, even in Neverland. The problem was, like Regina had said, her magic was tied to emotion.

At first she ignored it, too lost in his kisses. A spark against her palm; heat at the nape of her neck. But then Emma noticed the sounds all around her intensifying: the waves slapped loudly against the docks, the buoys all began to ring out, and the wind tugged against the ends of her hair, swirling upward. She gasped and pulled away from Killian, shoving him gently backwards.

“See?” She gasped. “You have to stay away from me!”

Before he could protest, she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. As soon as she was gone, the wind ceased, the waves stilled, and the ringing stopped. Killian sighed and ran a hand wearily through his hair. Didn’t she realize that he had gone into this with eyes wide open? He knew she had magic. Hell, he couldn’t be more bloody proud of that fact. And he had nothing but faith in her.

It also seemed that his Emma had no idea of the fears deep inside his own heart. How many times had he turned away from what was good and right in the world in favor of his revenge?

“I love you, Emma,” he whispered, “and no matter what you say, no matter what you do, I won’t walk away. Because you’re the brightest light I’ve ever seen in this world.”

He gazed out upon the water, a tiny smile lifting the corners of his mouth as he thought of the way she sought solace here, just like him. The sun was just coming up, tinging the sky and water pink. It reminded him of Emma. It reminded him of everything that he still wasn’t sure he deserved. But even if he had to face hell itself, he wasn’t turning away from the light.

Not this time.

_I won't run when it looks like love I won't hide beneath the fear Of how my past has come undone_

_I won't run when it looks like love I can't spend another night alone Regretting what I've done So, I won't run_


End file.
